Post Rent: The After Story Part 2
by Aztec2Step
Summary: Chaps. 2,3,4,and 5, and 6. Chapter 7 in thought.
1. Chapters 2 and 3

Post-Rent

_**A/N: Sorry that these chapters are so short, it's just that I started writing them at camp and I didn't have that much time to write a lot. Please forgive me. Chapter 4 will be longer.  
**_

_**-Aztec2Step**_

Chapter 2

"Roger...?" Mimi whispered. She was lying in bed, in her room in the Rehab. Roger had come to visit her after his brief talk with Mark that morning. As he sat next to her, she shook violently and shouted.

"Shh...it's okay, you're alright. I'm here. You're okay." He said as he held her. She cried out in pain as Roger held her head against his head. He held her for a good 20 minutes before she was calm enough to talk to.

"I'm sorry, Roger. This isn't my fault. I really wanted to be there for your birthday."

"It's alright. I'm just another year older. It's really nothing. Really." He smiled at her and she smiled back. He lifted her chin and kissed her tenderly. She pressed back for a second and as she let go, she smiled and his eyes softened. He ran his fingers through his hair. He was extremely stressed from visiting Mimi, his on and off gigs, and from his HIV, which was always on his mind now that Mimi was in Rehab. He was always thinking of her and her advancing HIV. Mimi always came first now. It used to be him, him, him. It was always about him before April...well, now that he thought about it, it was still about him when he was with April. But it was always Mimi after she had her Near-Death Experience. He was so worried about her health and everyday he asked himself why she didn't go with Angel. He looked to the Christmas Eve she came into his life. Why did she knock on my door? I'm sure there were plenty of other men in the building other than me...but then again...no, it was my fault she came to my door. I looked at her from the balcony when we had our mini-protest. Why did I look at her? Why? Why was that always the question? He stared out the window. What was next in this sad story he called his life? What would happen? Who would be claimed next by the unforgiving world? He stopped thinking about it and turned to her. She had fallen asleep. He kissed her cheek and left the room, still pondering whether or not he should talk to Mark about his thoughts. He walked down the stairs and out the door.

Chapter 3

Mimi dreamed about walking slowly through the white halls of the Rehabilitation facility, and as she turned a corner, at the end of the hall she saw Roger. She began to run towards him, her arms outstretched. But as she neared him, he suddenly disappeared and she began falling down a deep stairway. She awoke with a scream and found, after checking the room, that Roger wasn't there. She glanced at the clock on the table beside her bed. 2:09 am. Mimi groaned and laid her head back down on the pillow and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 4

Post-Rent

Chapter 4

Roger strode into the loft to find Mark on the couch, reading The Village Voice. He started to take off his coat but Mark stopped him.

"Collins wants us to meet him at the Life Café, I don't know why, but he said be there at 12." Roger looked at Mark in a funny way, but then shrugged his coat back on. Mark put on his scarf and coat and the two friends headed out into the unforgiving February air to meet their other friend at the Life Café. On the way there, Mark asked how Mimi was doing.

"I guess she's alright. You know, I'm not a doctor so I can't say that she's perfectly fine."

"No, I meant the Rehab. How's that going?"

"Oh, fine, I think. When I got into her room yesterday afternoon, she was shaking so violently I thought she was going into, like, epileptic shock or something to that effect." Roger and Mark turned a corner and headed into the Life Café. They were greeted by Collins, who had been waiting in the front, at a table by the window for them. He got up as they entered the restaurant and hugged both of them separately. Collins sat by the window and Mark took the seat next to him. Roger sat across from Collins by the window. Collins had already ordered three coffees, just how each of them liked it. Mark's Decaf, Collins had his Dark, and Roger's with cream and sugar...lots of sugar. Collins started to say something to Mark, but the changed his mind and addressed Roger.

"I...ummm...wanted to tell you about this thing I heard about..." He looked at Roger who sat hunched over his coffee, hands wrapped around the mug, he was staring at Collins.

"...I, well, we.." He gestured to Mark. "We wanted to talk to you about Mimi." Collins knew he was going into a vulnerable area in Roger. He was prepared to have Roger explode at him, knowing the Roger thought he was always right. Roger looked like a dog that pricked up its ears at the sound of his owners car coming up the driveway after a long day. Mark continued the conversation.

"The Rehab called today while you were out and they said that Mimi was doing well, but..." he paused and looked at Collins. Collins nodded. Mark continued.

"Well, she had a visitor today. It was him...The Man. He gave her a free stash of heroin. She didn't accept it. He forced her to shoot up. I'm sorry Roger, the Rehab found out...she was so close to finishing...now she has to start again...from square one." Mark hung his head. He knew Roger was going to explode. He waited. Roger looked out the window. He asked to be excused. He put on his coat and headed outside. Mark and Collins followed. Soon outside, Roger exploded. The time bomb had clicked.

"How the hell could she do this! She was so fucking close to coming home to me! Dammit!"

"Roger, chill. Seriously, you can't just get all excited over something so small...it's only another month..." Mark tried to calm him down, but it didn't work out very well.

"No, Mark, it's not just another month. For me it's like a fucking eternity. I haven't made out with her in 3 months! How can I go another one? I'm starting to feel depressed, she's not here to make me happy, to brighten up my day. I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch that gave her the heroin!" He paced up and down the sidewalk as he yelled.

"Listen to me! I'm only trying to stop you from getting yourself killed! You're treading in deep water now, Roger. This is a drug dealer we're talking about 'killing'. He has connections, he could have you killed."

"You know what, Mark, I'm sick and tired of your peace-making bullshit. I just want Mimi back in my life, I want her to finish Rehab so we can be together. I don't want her to be haunted by a man who hunts you down if you don't buy. I just want her safe in my arms so I can protect her...don't you understand? She's the love of my life..."

"I thought you said April was the love of your life."

"Jesus! Don't bring her up now! I've moved on, Dammit! I don't care about her, she's my past. Mimi is my present and future."

"She could be your death, Roger! I don't want you getting killed because you want revenge on the guy that got your girlfriend stuck in Rehab for another fucking month! It's just one month!"

"Mark! You don't get it! I can't have her there! She needs me, but I can't be there for her everyday! I'm so stressed out...I just can't do this anymore..." He sighed, turned to the side of the building, and slammed his fist into it. He winced in pain and then faced Mark, who had tears in his eyes. He had never seen Mark like that and Mark had never seen Roger that angry. Roger strode up to Mark and gave him a hug. They held onto each other until Collins came and said they were being stared at by the people passing by. They immediately let go and brushed themselves off. As they walked, Collins brought up the subject of Roger's temper flare.

"Damn, boy. I've never seen you like that. What the hell happened to the solitary, quiet guy I used to know?" Roger's hands were shoved deep into his pockets. He kept looking down until Collins addressed him again.

"Hello? Earth to Roger. This is Collins speaking-"

"I heard you, and I don't know, I'm just...really protective of Mimi...it's like a time bomb had clicked inside of me..."

"You could've killed someone...God, I didn't know you could be so touchy." Mark chimed in.

"Shut up, Mark. I don't need your help."

"How's your hand, boy?" Collins gestured to one of the hands that were shoved deep into Roger's coat pocket. Roger pulled it out slowly. It stung when it hit the cold air. There were scrapes on it, and it had bled a little, but other than that, it was fine.

"Hurts." Roger looked at his hand. He hoped that he hadn't broken something.

"Well, pray you didn't break anything, you crazy-ass white boy." Collins laughed at his own joke. Mark joined in on the laughter. Roger gave them a dirty look and shoved his hands back into his pockets, slowly, because it hurt. When they reached the building, Collins and Mark were practically dying of laughter and Roger was angry and sad and in pain all at the same time. He trudged up the stairs with the others but went to the rooftop instead of following them back to the loft. Once on the rooftop, Roger leaned against the railing and stared at the buildings that surrounded him. He longed to be able to have Mimi there with him, to enclose her in his arms and kiss her everywhere he could. But because of what had happened, he would be alone for another month. He wished he could look into her eyes and tell her he loved her. He longed for her, he wanted to tell her she would be okay and that she could feel safe in his arms, in his eyes.


	3. Chapter 5

Post-Rent

Chapter 5

Nothing special had happened that month. Just waiting. Roger hated waiting. Once he got the call from the Rehab that Mimi was drug free and he could come and sign her out, he jumped for joy and ran out the door. He had reach the Rehabilitation Center in less than an hour and was in the waiting room when he saw Mimi walking tall and strong. She saw him and ran toward him, arms outstretched.

"ROGER!" She squealed as she flew into his arms. She was embraced by a man who loved her and she knew that she was going to be safer now than she had been in Rehab. Both Roger and Mimi were smiling and laughing as they walked home. As they neared Avenue B, Roger asked why Mimi hadn't accepted the heroin from The Man. She looked down as she answered, as if she thought he was still angry with her from being stuck there for another month.

" I didn't want to stay there, Roger. I wanted to come home to you. I wanted you to be proud of me..." She looked at him. He stopped walking. He took her face in his hands...one of which was bandaged from his earlier explosion.

"You know I'm proud of you. What you did was great, and I love you even more for it. You know I'll always love you." He looked into her eyes and kissed her passionately. They stood there kissing for what seemed like hours, until Roger broke away to look at his watch.

"Holy shit! It's 6:30!. I promised Collins, Mark, Joanne, and Maureen that we'd meet at The Life Café at 6:00! Dammit, I hate it when I do this. Come on, lets go." They hurried off to drop Mimi's stuff in the loft, then to the Life Café.

At around 7:00, Roger and Mimi walked into the cozy restaurant. They spotted Collins sitting at a table in the back. He waved to Mark, and they walked over to the group.

"Where the hell were you two? We've been waiting here for an hour." Mark said impatiently, as the two took off their coats.

"We, ummm, got caught up in a little romance..." Mimi said.

"Like...half an hour of making out on Avenue A..." Roger completed, shyly. The group broke out in laughter at Roger and Mimi's way of saying they missed each other.

"Hey, guys, no hard feelings, but can't you two wait for the couch?" Maureen said. They roared with laughter. Soon, their food came and they began discussing Mimi's time in Rehab.

"Well, it was lonely. There were only like 5 other people int the program, so I didn't converse with them much. But Roger came to visit me a lot, so he was about the only person that I talked to, besides the nurses and specialists."

"Sounds to me like it was pretty rough in there." said Joanne. She looked at Mimi, who smiled as Roger rubbed her back. She then turned to Maureen, who was chugging her third wine.

"The withdrawal was pretty tough, but Roger was there everyday to coach me through it. He went through it to, right?"

"Uhhhh, not exactly..." The group stopped talking and stared at him.

"What do you mean 'not exactly'? I was living with you when you were with April." Mark looked at the faces surrounding him. They were all staring at Roger, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, ya see...I only did it once...and I hated it. April became a heavy heroin user, like you were.." He gestured to Mimi. "..But I stayed away after that...the worst thing I every did was get drunk..3 times the legal limit...but I never went through withdrawal." The group was silent, they all stared at each other. Mimi looked away in disbelief, trying to accept that all Roger hadn't actually been through what she had, trying to accept that her boyfriend had told her he had done it before and became addicted, trying to accept that her boyfriend had lied to her. Then the murmuring started and it turned into a louder, non-threatening talk, and then Mimi lost it and had to be taken outside. To Roger, who ran after Mimi when she got angry and stormed out of the restaurant, it was a repeat of what happened about a month ago.

"What's your problem? It was just a lie. Your getting upset because I lied about going through withdrawal?"

"Yes! How could you do that? I was in so much pain and I believed that you had gone through it too, and now, I find out it was just a lie? I..."

"You can't accept that I didn't become addicted to heroin like yourself? Is that it? I didn't like it, I _knew_ it was bad. But you, you went to Rehab before, while I was in Santa Fe, and you dropped out and started using again. You promised me you wouldn't do it again..."

"I started using again because I was lonely without you. I didn't know what to do with my life.."

"Besides shoot up everyday? Mimi, do you know why I put you back in Rehab?"

"No, why? To satisfy yourself? To tell yourself that I would be safe there?"

"No, I put you there because I knew that it was harming you, because it was killing you, and killing me. I put you there because I love you." Roger looked at her, hoping that he had broken through the barrier she had set up against him. She looked back, straight into his eyes and saw that he meant what he said and was on the verge of tears.


	4. Chapter 6

Post-Rent

Chapter 6

Later that same night found Roger and Mimi in the bedroom making out and fumbling with each other. Mimi seemed an expert at it, but Roger was extremely nervous. He hadn't "done it" in a while...like 2 or 3 years. Mimi slithered up to his face and met his eyes. He laid there, letting Mimi do everything. He tried to relax, but he just couldn't.

"Mimi..." He said, as he looked into her eyes for what seemed like the 200th time. She stopped kissing him and rested her head on his chest.

"What, Roger? Can we talk later? We're in the middle of something right now."

"I can see that, but I want you to know that...I'm...well, I'm..."

"Spit it out, Roger." She said impatiently.

He sighed. "It's just, I haven't done this in a long time and I'm kinda nervous. There I said it." He looked ashamed, but Mimi just laughed.

"Oh, Roger, your too funny. Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine. Just try to relax, okay?" And with that kissed him down his chest and into the night.

The next morning found Roger and Mimi asleep together, Mimi with her head resting on Roger's chest and Roger with his hand resting on Mimi's head. Mark looked in on them...if they were awake he was going to tell them he was going out to film some more. Roger heard the door creak and he opened his eyes lazily.

"Good morning...I see you two had some fun last night." Mark said, a wide grin stretching across his face. Roger cocked his head. He smiled and laid his head down on the pillow.

"I guess we did."

"I'm going out to do some filming. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, go ahead. I won't stop you. Do what you need to."

"Okay, thanks a lot, Roger." Mark said. He closed the door and headed out to do some work. Back in the loft, Roger shifted and woke Mimi.

"Oh, sorry." He whispered. She looked at him with a smile, then got up and dressed. Roger watched her until she turned around to look at him.

"What?" She asked. He smiled, then started laughing for no apparent reason.

"What, Roger? What's so funny?"

"I really don't know. I think it's just that we just woke up and you immediately start dressing like you were at some strange guy you met at the Cat Scratch Club's house. Come over here." He motioned for her to come. She jumped onto the bed and was engulfed in her boyfriend's sweet kisses.


End file.
